Funny novels are sometimes hard to write because humor differs from person to person. For a humorous book to be successful, the writer has to find an even playing ground where most people will understand and appreciate the humor within the pages. Making a cover for these books isn’t nearly as challenging as actually writing them, as people respond to visual stimulation much quicker and easier than long jokes in the written word. The trick is to have a comic cover that can relate to the book without giving too much away. Still, whether the cover features a clever pun or an amusing illustration, funny book covers will surely make you smile.
Funny Book Covers
Explore what makes a good funny book cover and some elements that go into making one through our list of some of the best examples of funny book covers.
1. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
Cartoons are great for covers because they can depict ideas that real-life photos are incapable of doing. This book cover is a perfect example of using comics to show the differences between good and evil in juxtaposition. The book cover is split right down the middle, with a female angel contrasting against a black background and a male devil contrasting against a white background. Like a comical yin yang, these two images come together to form one humorous cover piece that will have readers pause for a second look and look inside to find out more. There are so many stereotypical ideals represented in these two simple characters. Good is an angel, a woman in light, comfortable clothes that show her to be an everyday person. She is reading a book and improving her mind, and of course, the “Good” of the title reigns underneath her. “Omens” can make a reader think of ominous is underneath the devil, a man. He is dressed sharply in a business suit, portraying how money is the root of all evil. He is talking on a cell phone, likely about another business deal. Yet again, the angel is against a black background, and the devil is against a white one, so maybe everything is not as it appears. No matter what happens in the pages, this cover shouts at the reader about good and evil and invites them to learn more.
2. Chasing the Moon by A. Lee Martinez
If you are looking through the humor section in your local bookstore, what will grab your attention more than bright green tentacles against a sky for the background? Not only that, but these tentacles have woven their way through the letters of the title, and one of them is holding a fork. The title itself, though in giant white letters that contrast perfectly against the dark blue and purple of the sky, is the second thing readers will notice because the tentacles are so jarring. The background features the night sky and the enormous, full moon shining off the side, making the text stand out. Even with the fork, if these tentacles were against an aqueous background where they belong, it wouldn’t create nearly as much effect as they do in this position. That effect is so immediately jarring that readers have no choice but to stop and take a closer look, even if it is to confirm that they did see what they thought they saw.
3. How I Became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely
At first, this design may look more like a child’s book rather than one targeted at an adult audience. It is a technique that will help it to stand out among its fellow stories on the bookshelf. People expect to see “adult” covers in the adult section and “kid” covers in the kid section. Hence, seeing this in the adult section will make them pause and wonder long enough to want a closer look when they read the humorous title. The fact that the word “Famous” is in a different color than the other words of the book’s title shows that maybe famous isn’t the right word to be used. Combined with the sketched tornado whirling pieces of paper all over the cover, the reader gets the idea that famous is the exact opposite of what this character has indeed become. Of course, there is only one way to find out how far from the truth this title/statement is: to open the cover and read at least a little bit. This cover grabs attention with a bright yellow background that looks childlike and one word in the title that stands out against the rest.
4. The Peculiar Memories of Thomas Penman by Bruce Robinson
A picture is worth a thousand words, but this picture is probably worth an entire novel. Sometimes it is tough for a cover designer to come up with the perfect design that illustrates the basic idea of a novel without giving away too many details. Occasionally, a designer lucks out by finding the perfect photo that can not only give a brief glimpse of life to the story within the following pages but also mimic the tone or genre of the novel itself. This one still shot of a young boy with wide eyes and a comically surprised or scared look is the perfect hint to the reader of what they can expect from the story itself. It catches them off guard, gives them a little chuckle, and gives them enough reason to find out the reason behind this boy’s wide-eyed expression.
5. Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
Book covers catch our eye and entice us to read the book within. Yet sometimes, book covers can be so strange or funny that they make us do a double take. In this book cover, you’ll find a man sleeping on top of a tree, over a branch that’s not even half his size. What makes this cover funny is how the man could sleep soundly in such a high and dangerous position with no sign of worry or discomfort on his face. For the readers, he looks like he’s in the middle of a life-or-death situation, yet he’s enjoying his time on top of the tree. Other noticeable elements on this book cover are the mischievous monkeys peeking and the stack of caps, possibly related to the title. Funny book covers like this deserve recognition!
6. The World’s Worst Assistant by Sona Movsesian
There’s something about funny book covers that makes us want to pick it up and read. And when that book cover has delightful and comic doodles, we can’t resist. This book cover is a perfect example of a book that will make you smile from the moment you look at it. The front cover features a photograph of a hapless assistant beside her boss. What makes this book cover comedic is how the lady with a halo doodled on top of her head is trying not to elicit a mischievous smile. The best part? Her boss has funny doodles all over his face! This bright and humorous book cover does justice to the book’s title and would make any potential reader pick it from the shelf or give its audiobook a listen.
7. Pooh Gets Stuck by Isabel Gaines
Besides a hilarious title, comical illustrations make funny book covers instantly recognizable and iconic. As for children’s book covers, many are funny and can easily make you laugh out loud, regardless of age. If you intend to give young readers a good giggle, this book cover does that quite well. It’s a classic Pooh book that many people love, featuring Pooh himself, who a young boy, and a rabbit have been trying to get out of the Rabbit’s house’s entryway. While it’s an unfortunate scenario for Pooh, funny book covers like this will make you wonder how the protagonist will resolve their dilemma. We can only imagine what poor Pooh was going through when he got into this predicament!
8. Don’t Touch My Hair by Sharee Miller
Interestingly, some book covers intentionally defy the expectations set by their titles. These funny book covers are usually eye-catching and thought-provoking, and they often become some of the most iconic and memorable ones. Here’s a joyful and clever way to play with expectations, and it’s just one example of a book cover that does the opposite of what the title says. Although the title in a playful pink font says “Don’t Touch My Hair,” many hands reach out to the young girl with fluffy curls to do otherwise. The pastel yellow background does an excellent job of showing the differences between each curious hand. Book covers like this provide a clever visual contrast to the title, and it’s a fun way to get people talking about the book.
9. Eating Salad Drunk by Gabe Henry
We’ve all had that moment when we looked at a book cover and thought, “That’s me.” While these covers may seem funny at first glance, there’s a lot of relatable truth to them, as these illustrations perfectly capture the mundane moments in our life. Apart from this book’s comedic content, it’s among those book covers that are funny because they’re effortless and relatable. The book cover features a woman holding a salad bowl on her bed with a bottle and glass of wine on her sides. It’s a hilarious and relatable cover illustration with the book’s title, author’s, and contributors’ names in pencil-like typography. Looking at funny book covers like this might make a reader’s day, even make them feel a tad better about their current situation, and give the book a try.
10. How to Be Perfect by Michael Schur
These days, more and more books released on the market have covers designed to be funny without trying too hard. Some are so clever that you might not even notice the humor at first glance. However, once you take a closer look, you’ll see that the artist behind the cover has put a lot of thought into making you chuckle. For example, look at this book cover. At first glance, it seems like a typical book of wisdom or philosophy. Yet upon closer inspection, you’ll see the letter “t” floating like a raindrop under the cloud on the left side of the book. It’s hilarious, considering the title says “perfect,” but then there’s a missing letter placed on the other side. The yellow text also stands out against the blue sky background. Overall, it’s a funny book cover that’ll make you question whether you’re up for laughter or wisdom.
11. There Are Moms Way Worse Than You by Glenn Boozan
Authors, illustrators, and publishers often use illustrated book covers to add humor or fun to a book. Sometimes, they use it to give a fact related to the book’s content. Consider this book cover. Apart from the book’s relatable illustrations, the book cover is as funny as its content. Who would have known that mother giraffes kick their newborns? It’s ridiculous yet amusing, especially with how this book cover demonstrated that fact. The words “Moms Way Worse Than You” were written in a larger font compared to the rest of the text on the cover artwork, giving readers a hint that the book contains a collection or list related to the title. Hilarious, eye-catching, and informative!
Conclusion
Funny book covers are a great way to get people to notice your book. Like the book covers in our list, consider using a bold font, bright colors, hilarious photographs, or illustrations when designing funny book covers to catch the eye of your target audience. Other times, a few well-placed jokes can go a long way in making your book cover stand out from the rest. Have fun with designing, and don’t be afraid to be creative!
Are you looking for inspiration for your latest or upcoming book cover design? Find more in our Book Cover Ideas Blog!
